Travel irons on ship

[lorri111]

Hi, wondering what the situation is with travel irons onboard. I know you are not supposed to use it in your cabin but are you allowed to bring one on board at all? I always travel with a small travel iron which I would be using in the various hotels off the cruise but I note in the article below that they are regarded as contraband. I don't want the bother of having it confiscated till end of cruise but I also don't want to leave it at home unless I need to. Ideas?

 

http://www.cruisecritic.com/articles.cfm?ID=84

[rdsqrl]

I've never been in a hotel that didn't have an iron/ironing board in the room. Leave it behind; it is not allowed onboard and will be confiscated.

[ar1950]

I've never been in a hotel that didn't have an iron/ironing board in the room. Leave it behind; it is not allowed onboard and will be confiscated.

 

Things may be different in Australian hotels when it comes to irons. Guess it may depend on where the OP is staying/cruising to.

[rkmw]

Things may be different in Australian hotels when it comes to irons. Guess it may depend on where the OP is staying/cruising to.

 

we've stayed in a lot of australian motels and they have irons in the rooms so not worth the hassle of bringing one onboard the ship as princess have laundrys onboard

[DLSHS_Mom]

I use the iron in the laundry room on every cruise....no problem.

[Tapi]

We bring a travel sized bottle of Downey Wrinkle Release. Just spray it on your lightly wrinkled clothes, hang them, and voila! Wrinkles are gone. No wasted time ironing. :)

 

 

 

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[lorri111]

The self serve laundry facilities on the ship will cover it then, but unfortunately it doesn't help with the hotels if I can't take my trusty iron. I have never found irons and boards to be a staple in Aussie or Asian hotels (I stay at 4-5 star places, so maybe it is different at lower levels) and my booked hotels in Europe have paid laundry services only. It would get quite expensive sending out for ironing each time I need to refresh an item. Have to rely on the old trick of hanging things up in a steamy bathroom then!

[PoohUnderstands]

In this day and age, I have my cruising clothes-clothes that are more colorful than I usually wear and that are light and best of all wrinkle-free!!!!! From pants, to tops, to my "formalwear", all have no need for ironing. Now if they could invent clothes that clean themselves.......................

 

Pooh

[OzKiwiJJ]

The self serve laundry facilities on the ship will cover it then, but unfortunately it doesn't help with the hotels if I can't take my trusty iron. I have never found irons and boards to be a staple in Aussie or Asian hotels (I stay at 4-5 star places, so maybe it is different at lower levels) and my booked hotels in Europe have paid laundry services only. It would get quite expensive sending out for ironing each time I need to refresh an item. Have to rely on the old trick of hanging things up in a steamy bathroom then!

 

We've never had a problem getting an iron and ironing board in 4-5 star hotels in Australia or Asia, most hotels we've stayed in have them in the rooms.

 

However if there isn't an iron and ironing board in your hotel room just ring housekeeping and they will usually provide one immediately and often it stays in your room for the length of your stay.

[Esprit]

Just off Emerald and my wife used her travel iron without any problems. She would always allow it to cool a little before resting it on a wet towel so it was cold before putting it away.

[rkmw]

Just off Emerald and my wife used her travel iron without any problems. She would always allow it to cool a little before resting it on a wet towel so it was cold before putting it away.

 

you are very lucky it wasnt taken off you when you embarked the ship, on princess every ship has a laundry so people can iron in there

[Lovetocruiseprincess]

Just off Emerald and my wife used her travel iron without any problems. She would always allow it to cool a little before resting it on a wet towel so it was cold before putting it away.

 

Although there not allowed every so often people can get them by the check-in process. With the nice clean laundry facilities Princess provides it's hardly worth the trouble to carry your own.

[aquilegia]

Just off Emerald and my wife used her travel iron without any problems. She would always allow it to cool a little before resting it on a wet towel so it was cold before putting it away.

 

The rules against travel irons are there for a reason. Fire at sea is one of the most dangerous things that can happen to a ship. And why would you have chosen to flout the rules when there are full size irons for use free of charge in the laundry rooms?

[rkmw]

Just off Emerald and my wife used her travel iron without any problems. She would always allow it to cool a little before resting it on a wet towel so it was cold before putting it away.

 

this is from the princess site, just in case you dont know

 

 

For your convenience, Princess vessels have self-service launderettes where washers, dryers and laundry products are available for a negligible charge. Please note that irons/ironing boards are available in the self-service laundry rooms. Ironing and using personal clothes steamers are not permitted in any stateroom. Although rare, on certain itineraries environmental regulations relating to the consumption of water may impact the operating hours of the launderettes. These restrictions, when applicable will be posted in the Princess Patter

[Iamcruzin]

On different occasions I brought a travel steamer and a small travel iron. I packed it in the luggage and there wasn't a problem. I never needed to use them. As a matter of fact the travel steamer is in the original wrap. I have had it 23yrs and never needed to use it. We took it with us on the Crown Princess in 1991 before Princess had laundry rooms. With all of the electronics and power stripes people bring I don't think they will even notice a small travel iron.

[pablo222]

The rules against travel irons are there for a reason. Fire at sea is one of the most dangerous things that can happen to a ship. And why would you have chosen to flout the rules when there are full size irons for use free of charge in the laundry rooms?

 

Rules are only for the 'other guy'.

 

That is one of the rules of cruise critic.

 

Just pack the iron next to the rum runners

[maz48]

I think a lot of might be down to cruise lines' insurance these days. Maybe if an iron(or kettle ore even a cigarette) was found to be the cause of a fire then the claim could be invalid. Now, that is an aside to some of us not wanting to be on a cruse ship that has a fire, whatever the cause.

 

However I can't understand why irons and kettles are singled out when curling tongs, straighteners and other items are allowed. Perhaps someone who understands such things could explain? I know a kettle and an iron might be left on by mistake but so can heated tongs. Is the risk less? Sorry, just something that interests me. I don't take irons or kettles and never would as there must be a reason to them being banned.

Edited August 10, 2014 by maz48

[Colo Cruiser]

Just off Emerald and my wife used her travel iron without any problems. She would always allow it to cool a little before resting it on a wet towel so it was cold before putting it away.

 

 

I am sure she had no problems using her iron, nobody is going to stand over you every second and watch what you are doing.

As stated this policy is there for a reason, the safety of the passengers/crew.

Its does not matter whether you left it in a sink full of water its not allowed period!

[OzKiwiJJ]

However I can't understand why irons and kettles are singled out when curling tongs, straighteners and other items are allowed. Perhaps someone who understands such things could explain? I know a kettle and an iron might be left on by mistake but so can heated tongs. Is the risk less? Sorry, just something that interests me. I don't take irons or kettles and never would as there must be a reason to them being banned.

 

Possibly because the cruise lines can provide suitable irons in the laundrettes, and hot water is available from the buffet or room service. However people are very particular about what sort of hair appliances they use, especially tongs and straighteners. Maybe the cruise lines felt they would lose too many passengers if they didn't allow them to bring their personal grooming tools.

[evandbob]

I think a lot of might be down to cruise lines' insurance these days. Maybe if an iron(or kettle ore even a cigarette) was found to be the cause of a fire then the claim could be invalid. Now, that is an aside to some of us not wanting to be on a cruse ship that has a fire, whatever the cause.

 

However I can't understand why irons and kettles are singled out when curling tongs, straighteners and other items are allowed. Perhaps someone who understands such things could explain? I know a kettle and an iron might be left on by mistake but so can heated tongs. Is the risk less? Sorry, just something that interests me. I don't take irons or kettles and never would as there must be a reason to them being banned.

 

An electrician will tell you that irons and steamers, as well as coffee pots and water heaters, have high amperage draws. The higher the amperage draw, the higher heat is generated. A ship's wiring is not designed to withstand the amperage draw and heat produced by these appliances. Hot wires can melt, cause short circuits, and start a fire.

 

Perhaps the cruise industry should build their ships' wiring to withstand such amperage pulls, but that would raise the cost to them, which would then result in higher fares. Maybe it will take a tragedy to get ship builders to design to American electrical code standards, but I would hope not.

 

Pax should just realize that the ships wiring is not designed to handle certain appliances and to leave those darn things home. It only takes one appliance to cause a fire that can endanger thousands of lives.

Edited August 10, 2014 by evandbob

[Lovetocruiseprincess]

An electrician will tell you that irons and steamers, as well as coffee pots and water heaters, have high amperage draws. The higher the amperage draw, the higher heat is generated. A ship's wiring is not designed to withstand the amperage draw and heat produced by these appliances. Hot wires can melt, cause short circuits, and start a fire.

 

Perhaps the cruise industry should build their ships' wiring to withstand such amperage pulls, but that would raise the cost to them, which would then result in higher fares. Maybe it will take a tragedy to get ship builders to design to American electrical code standards, but I would hope not.

 

Pax should just realize that the ships wiring is not designed to handle certain appliances and to leave those darn things home. It only takes one appliance to cause a fire that can endanger thousands of lives.

 

Hardly true. The wires handle the vacuum cleaners, large drying fans and carpet shampooers without any problems. All wiring is protected with circuit breakers even on ships so an iron wouldn't cause unnecessarily draw on the system.

[Colo Cruiser]

Hardly true. The wires handle the vacuum cleaners, large drying fans and carpet shampooers without any problems. All wiring is protected with circuit breakers even on ships so an iron wouldn't cause unnecessarily draw on the system.

 

Actually it is true, with the ships circuts they can tell down to the cabin if there is an unusual current draw. As with any system its only designed to handle so much. This is from the Chief Electro Technical Officer.

Edited August 10, 2014 by Colo Cruiser

[beg3yrs]

An electrician will tell you that irons and steamers, as well as coffee pots and water heaters, have high amperage draws. The higher the amperage draw, the higher heat is generated. A ship's wiring is not designed to withstand the amperage draw and heat produced by these appliances. Hot wires can melt, cause short circuits, and start a fire.

 

Perhaps the cruise industry should build their ships' wiring to withstand such amperage pulls, but that would raise the cost to them, which would then result in higher fares. Maybe it will take a tragedy to get ship builders to design to American electrical code standards, but I would hope not.

 

Pax should just realize that the ships wiring is not designed to handle certain appliances and to leave those darn things home. It only takes one appliance to cause a fire that can endanger thousands of lives.

 

Good points but some could take your statements to mean the ship's wiring is unsafe and this is not the case.

 

You forgot to mention all the wiring is protected by circuit breakers which will stop excessive amperage draw well before wires heat to an unsafe point.

 

That said, circuit breakers themselves can fail but when they do, they are designed such that the most likely failure is to trip at lower levels of current. This is considered to be a "fail safe". Of course it is still possible, though not probable, a breaker will fail in a manner which allows excessive current to melt the wires of the circuit they protect.

 

Going one step further, these breakers are not accessible to passengers and must be reset by electricians on the crew. Having a passenger's device cause breakers to trip causes unnecessary work for the crew as well as an inconvenience to passengers in adjacent cabins who may be sharing the same circuits.

[beg3yrs]

Actually it is true, with the ships circuts they can tell down to the cabin if there is an unusual current draw. As with any system its only designed to handle so much. This is from the Chief Electro Technical Officer.

 

Yes, they can monitor current draw and current imbalances but that does not mean there are no automatic protections, i.e. circuit breakers.

[Esprit]

Just off Emerald and my wife used her travel iron without any problems. She would always allow it to cool a little before resting it on a wet towel so it was cold before putting it away.

 

Interesting comments made following my original post. The socket my wife used was the one behind the bed, which is European and not many pax know it exists.

 

Having sailed on Princess a few times we are fully aware of the laundry room and I would always iron my shirts in one of them nearby. The wife however can't decide until the last minute what to wear hence the convenience of using a travel iron.

 

If a fire occurred whilst it was being used. Rest assured I will chuck her on it to put it out.